Why Do People Believe In Conspiracy Theories?

[Aeritai]

Conspiracy theories we've all encountered them before at some point, rather it be through Twitter, Reddit, YouTube and other social media websites where people hang out with each other and talk about conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories mostly come from Flat Earthers, 9/11 Truthers, Anti-Vaxxers and other recent conspiracy theories like QAnon have been around for some time. Which got me thinking on why these people believe in these conspiracy theories in the first place when there's tons of evidence that disproves their claims. Is there a psychological reason why humans believe in these conspiracy theories or do people just spend too much time reading false information that they don't accept the real evidence as facts?

What are your thoughts NSG?

In my opinion I think the reason why people believe in conspiracy theories is because they spend too much time reading false information from sketchy sources. One example of this would be the Anti-Vax group in which this group mostly gets their information from Facebook or a random mom blog on the internet. Anti-Vaxxers also draw the attention of new moms who are worried about their child's health thus making them join an Anti-Vax mom group where these new moms are usually fed with false information. This also applies to other conspiracy theory groups as well since they tend to draw in people doing research on a subject, for example if someone was doing research on 9/11, they would most likely come across 9/11 conspiracy theories and once someone is exposed to that. The person slowly starts to accept that false information as fact.

[Nilokeras]

Turns out when you purposefully evacuate all meaning from politics and spend 30 years stripping the copper wire out of the economy while feeding people a steady diet of manipulated media, conspiracy theories spring up like mushrooms after rain.

[Vetalia]

Because they have been proven conspiracy fact in the decades since the CIA created the term "conspiracy theory"

[Rusozak]

I say confirmation bias. People want to believe what they want to believe and are willing to warp any information they come across to affirm these beliefs. As for spreading, the internet. With the internet and social media suddenly everyone with access to a computer or phone is a journalist. And unlike professional journalists, they don't have any reputation of credibility to maintain and can hide beyond anonymity. Basically the internet has taken everyone's understanding of credible news sources and thrown it out the window.

[Heloin]

The cork board with red lines connecting everything is really fun.

[Nakena]

Because they tend to have a fundamentally flawed idea of how the world works.

Also this:

[Drongonia]

Because there are quite a few conspiracies that turned out to be true. So, based on that belief, people branch out into more and more ridiculous ones. "Operation Paperclip was true, so 9/11's conspiracy was true, so it's not beyond the realm that vaccine stuff must be true because the Government has hurt us before! So then the Earth MUST be flat because we're lied to all the time!" for example.

[Nooooooooooooooo]

The cork board with red lines connecting everything is really fun.

[Kowani]

disbelief
people believe conspiracy theories because they disbelieve mainstream narratives-and because they distrust the same
it's more complicated
social networks, the comforting nature (sort of, it's complicated), media networks-they all play a role

[Arkhane]

Because they turn out to be true from time to time?

I don't know about you, but I'm young enough to remember a time when the government keeps claiming that they're not hiding any footage of UFOs and that anyone who thinks they're hiding footage is a crazy conspiracy theorist.

When they finally released it, the public just rolled their eyes.

Governments and the media have been caught lying, manipulating and erasing history, entire incidents, and even betraying the masses and other covert and corrupt dealings up to silencing whistleblowers and people who dare try to expose them. Gaslighting is also one of their most effective social engineering tactics that they honed throughout the decades.

To assume that there is such a thing as a transparent and honest world power is just as deluded as thinking the earth is flat.


We are very blessed to live in an age where information travels very fast, whether it be fake or real. We should be free to believe what we want within reason and discussions of whether something is fake or real should be encouraged, not silenced in favour of "protecting" us from misinformation.

[Burnh]

Conspiracy theories we've all encountered them before at some point, rather it be through Twitter, Reddit, YouTube and other social media websites where people hang out with each other and talk about conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories mostly come from Flat Earthers, 9/11 Truthers, Anti-Vaxxers and other recent conspiracy theories like QAnon have been around for some time. Which got me thinking on why these people believe in these conspiracy theories in the first place when there's tons of evidence that disproves their claims. Is there a psychological reason why humans believe in these conspiracy theories or do people just spend too much time reading false information that they don't accept the real evidence as facts?

What are your thoughts NSG?

In my opinion I think the reason why people believe in conspiracy theories is because they spend too much time reading false information from sketchy sources. One example of this would be the Anti-Vax group in which this group mostly gets their information from Facebook or a random mom blog on the internet. Anti-Vaxxers also draw the attention of new moms who are worried about their child's health thus making them join an Anti-Vax mom group where these new moms are usually fed with false information. This also applies to other conspiracy theory groups as well since they tend to draw in people doing research on a subject, for example if someone was doing research on 9/11, they would most likely come across 9/11 conspiracy theories and once someone is exposed to that. The person slowly starts to accept that false information as fact.

Its sad but people don't trust what they are told and are presented alot of information that says otherwise from the truth.

[Shofercia]

Conspiracy theories we've all encountered them before at some point, rather it be through Twitter, Reddit, YouTube and other social media websites where people hang out with each other and talk about conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories mostly come from Flat Earthers, 9/11 Truthers, Anti-Vaxxers and other recent conspiracy theories like QAnon have been around for some time. Which got me thinking on why these people believe in these conspiracy theories in the first place when there's tons of evidence that disproves their claims. Is there a psychological reason why humans believe in these conspiracy theories or do people just spend too much time reading false information that they don't accept the real evidence as facts?

What are your thoughts NSG?

In my opinion I think the reason why people believe in conspiracy theories is because they spend too much time reading false information from sketchy sources. One example of this would be the Anti-Vax group in which this group mostly gets their information from Facebook or a random mom blog on the internet. Anti-Vaxxers also draw the attention of new moms who are worried about their child's health thus making them join an Anti-Vax mom group where these new moms are usually fed with false information. This also applies to other conspiracy theory groups as well since they tend to draw in people doing research on a subject, for example if someone was doing research on 9/11, they would most likely come across 9/11 conspiracy theories and once someone is exposed to that. The person slowly starts to accept that false information as fact.

Do you have a source stating that most conspiracy theories come from Flat Earthers, 9/11 Truthers, Anti-Vaxxers and other recent conspiracy theories like QAnon or Blue Anon? People believe in conspiracy theories because some turned out to be true, because there's massive distrust for the corporate media that has a record of lying, and because they aren't properly addressed if false. The ones you listed are a joke. We have satellites, so being a Flat Earther in the Age of Satellites is just being nutty. The others you listed are also quite simple to disprove. Let's take something slightly more complex - the US Election.

Having reviewed the data, I know that Biden won. However, SCOTUS' refusal to examine obscene breaches of election procedure provided raw material for "releasing the kraken" and other nonesense, because instead of addressing the conspiracy theory, the response is "shut up dumbass, we know what's good for you!" That never works. For instance, in one of New York's Congressional Districts, it took nearly a month to count the votes. Who's counting, Cuomo's elderly healthcare adviser?

And speaking of Cuomo, the inability to prosecute certain "leaders" also leads to conspiracy theories, i.e. "Epstein Didn't Kill Himself" and that one might actually be true. We knew that Cuomo sent COVID patients to nursing homes, which is similar to handing out smallpox blankets to Native Americans, and how long was he able to get away with that?

[Kubra]

The obvious reason is they confirm beliefs and narratives. But this is insufficient, isn't it? There's plenty of ways to do that: cherry pick data for favourable conclusions, reword the description of events, emphasise certain sub events within an event, etc. So why conspiracies?
If I'd hazard a guess, it is because a conspiracy theory is near limitless. It all takes places an an immaterial plane, the realm of fiction, where creative writing is the only barrier. No more fiddling with how to frame the real when the unreal provides everything and more. It will confirm the justness of every action you do, so long as you want it to.
A popular conspiracy is, at its core, a writing prompt, by which one can write a way of seeing the world, of making fiction ones lived reality. Or, in other words, LARP.

[Nova Bromelia]

The world is really complex, and as individuals we can only know the tiniest bit about it. But, what if the world were simple, black and white, and knowable by Those Who Can See? What if there was one nefarious evil side to everything, and one good side (which, of course, includes us)?

And then, if we get baffled by a torrent of assertions that we could not possibly check ourselves in detail, and it feels like confirmation for our "suspicions".

It may not be entirely rational, but it sure is appealing. And almost all of us fall for it. Me too, I fell for some of the 9/11 conspiracy theories for a while before I got better. Was an interesting learning experience, that!

[East Blepia]

Conspiracy theories we've all encountered them before at some point, rather it be through Twitter, Reddit, YouTube and other social media websites where people hang out with each other and talk about conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories mostly come from Flat Earthers, 9/11 Truthers, Anti-Vaxxers and other recent conspiracy theories like QAnon have been around for some time. Which got me thinking on why these people believe in these conspiracy theories in the first place when there's tons of evidence that disproves their claims. Is there a psychological reason why humans believe in these conspiracy theories or do people just spend too much time reading false information that they don't accept the real evidence as facts?

What are your thoughts NSG?

In my opinion I think the reason why people believe in conspiracy theories is because they spend too much time reading false information from sketchy sources. One example of this would be the Anti-Vax group in which this group mostly gets their information from Facebook or a random mom blog on the internet. Anti-Vaxxers also draw the attention of new moms who are worried about their child's health thus making them join an Anti-Vax mom group where these new moms are usually fed with false information. This also applies to other conspiracy theory groups as well since they tend to draw in people doing research on a subject, for example if someone was doing research on 9/11, they would most likely come across 9/11 conspiracy theories and once someone is exposed to that. The person slowly starts to accept that false information as fact.

What is a conspiracy theory? The media does not have our (the common people's) interests in mind. Neither does the government. They exist to sustain themselves. Immigration, regardless of what effect it may have on the country (and I am not looking to get into an argument on immigration here, this is just for an example) is detrimental to the common man. It drives wages down, prices up, takes jobs, and causes social maladjustment. But because the government and corporations that benefit from it need your votes to retain power, they lie to you, talking about exotic foodstuffs, the evils of xenophobia, how we must be compassionate and open our borders (and our coffers etc.). They do not necessarily lie to us, but they tell us a version of the truth which best suits their interests. This is what I have found after many years of consideration and study.

[ImperialRussia]

Because there not brain washed by the media like George Bush invasion of Iraq which many mislead to believe that Iraq was there enemy but is actually was Osama Bin laden that was the true there not need a war they could have assassinated the guy be done with it. Like Obama made smart moves assassinating Osama Bin Laden. But George bush was idiot leading the American people to war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[New Jacobland]

People need certainty, even false certainty. They'll subscribe to anything that gives them this, even if it crazily outlandish.

Another is that people feel a need to belong. They want to be part of a community, even if it is based around some weird debunked theory.

[Engadine Mcdonalds 1997]

Like others have said, it forms a nice comfortable bubble where everything makes sense to them, whilst ignoring the real world for whatever personal reasons. But every once in a while, a conspiracy theory is proven true, and everyone who doesn't like the facts write it off. Think about it, explain some of the really shady shit intelligence organisations have done in the past and you'll sound like a whack job spouting off nonsense.

Example, right, I personally believe that Gough Whitlam was removed by the CIA. Why? Just look at what the man did and wanted to do, he improved relations with China and began trading with them, he was outspoken about his anti-USA rhetoric, he wanted to fully nationalise all of the mines around Australia, and he was in the party that during the entirety of the Vietnam War was the most vocal about how futile the war was. Add together how the Governor General had previously worked at ASIO, the Americans had changed the ambassador to the same man who organised the US backed coups in Indonesia and Chile, and you have yourself a pretty solid backing for the theory

But hey, it could all be a bunch of nonsense, right fellas?

[Page]

I was really into conspiracies as a teenager, it started with me watching Zeitgeist. Looking back on it, I think Zeitgeist was deliberately made in a very manipulative way. They rope you in with the Jesus was never real stuff which is very effective bait for a young atheist who wants validation, then they convince about 9/11 and you already think the Bush regime are evil sons of bitches so it doesn't take much to get you to believe they organized the attacks. Then when you have accepted a world where such vast conspiracies exist, they introduce you to the federal reserve and New World Order.

What's funny is that back in the day, I considered myself a left-wing anarchist (I still am) but I got into Alex Jones. He was different back in the 2000's. The right-wing stuff was a a lot more subtle and he actually talked about real oppressed people and good causes, but after a little while with Alex Jones and the prison planet website, I started hearing things that made me go "wait... what?"

What broke my fall deep down the rabbit hole was seeing how many of the conspiracy crowd was obsessed with Satanism and that they were Christian fundamentalists. And teenage me was like "yeah 9/11 was an inside job but don't you assholes talk shit about metal music!" I was into punk and metal, I listened to bands like Leftover Crack and when I became acquainted with the religious conspiracy factions I was like "ewww, what have I become a part of" and slowly de-conspiracized.

Also funny to think that back in 2007 I was trying to convince my cousin that 9/11 was an inside job, then in 2013 she was trying to convince me that Sandy Hook was staged.

I think the main reason people believe in conspiracies is because they correctly come to realize how states and corporations value power and profit so much more than people, but they fail to understand that the worst atrocities are done in plain sight.

[Kilobugya]

Mix of cognitive biases (such as confirmation bias and halo effect), insufficient education, corrupt mass media, highly broken political and economical system that doesn't work for the majority, and echo chambers/bubble effect of social media.

[Punished UMN]

Turns out when you purposefully evacuate all meaning from politics and spend 30 years stripping the copper wire out of the economy while feeding people a steady diet of manipulated media, conspiracy theories spring up like mushrooms after rain.

Because they have been proven conspiracy fact in the decades since the CIA created the term "conspiracy theory"

This yeah. Some conspiracy theories are absolutely ridiculous, but there are also some that have more-or-less been proven true in the decades since the Cold War ended (e.g. that the government murdered dissidents in the 60's and 70's and the government trafficked drugs into the United States to fund Central American rebel groups).

[Azabimidjan]

You assume from your question that all conspiracy theories are untrue, which is false. Conspiracy theories can be bonkers wrong, or absolutley right. I find people who always accept the mainstream truth to be just as brainwashed as people who question everything and believe in lizard people.

[Chan Island]

There are so many factors pouring into it that's hard to know where to begin. Others have pointed out dysfunctional political systems, social media, the search for meaning, the truth that the world is anarchic, mass media being proven to have lied, confirmation bias and the occasional tantalising event of one being proven to be true.

But one I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that many gained traction because they were deliberately promoted.

Governments love it when people believe in silly falsehoods that suit their purposes. Recently for example, multiple governments (most notable European ones) have promoted a conspiracy theory that the Astra-Zeneca vaccine is unsafe. It's based scientifically on absolutely nothing, yet because they currently have beef with Britain (the country that made the A-Z vaccine), they decided that a bit of nationalistic drum beating and a cooky conspiracy is what's needed to get their people's love.

The examples are too numerous to count. Oil companies have funded scare stories about nuclear power, the catholic church repeated misinformation about satanists, in the 1980s numerous governments promoted a whole range of batshit conspiracy theories about HIV/AIDS, the US government promoted a conspiracy theory about Communists in the media...

Hell, Donald Trump was a walking conspiracy theory spouting machine as president. Jair Bolsonaro still is.

The truth is, often people believe conspiracy theories because someone in power wants it that way. Every person ranting and raving about jews controlling the world is one who isn't asking why solar power is openly being sabotaged by oil companies. Every individual who thinks the Earth is flat is one who isn't effectively questioning real media lies. A populace furiously arguing about whether covid is real is one that isn't arguing about what's taking their government so long to introduce a lockdown.

None of this by the way is conspiracy theory, which is the weirdest part. Even though it sounds quintessentially like one. Like it's all done in the open, in speeches watched by millions, in part because the people in power are nowhere near as smart as they like to think they are.

EDIT: The conspiracies around Hillary Clinton are perhaps the classic in my mind. Sure, she's not perfect (who's been in government for 50 years without one or 2 shady deals) but it is remarkable how many clearly false and on their face absurd conspiracy theories there are about her there are. And when you dig you find their source is literally a Republican congressman or senator just saying so on the radio, very obviously lying their balls off, and then everyone believed them. Because...? I dunno, Newt Gingrich I guess must be telling the truth when he alleges Clinton would kill her literal best friend and close confidant, just coincidentally like 2 weeks before an election?

You assume from your question that all conspiracy theories are untrue, which is false. Conspiracy theories can be bonkers wrong, or absolutley right. I find people who always accept the mainstream truth to be just as brainwashed as people who question everything and believe in lizard people.

Sometimes even more so to be honest.

[My Political Fantasy]

I think in order to believe in conspiracy theories you need to believe in three things: that you have been betrayed in some way, that forces that are beyond your control are affecting your life, and also need to have a very low trust of people in positions of power.

[-Ocelot-]

It's mostly hate.

Guy doesn't like X. Therefore, he comes up with a theory against X in order to destroy it.

For example, some people can't accept that sexual minorities and trans people exist. They come up with a conspiracy theory that the evil government is putting chemicals in the waster supply to make people more feminine.

Everyone knows this theory is crap, even its supporters to an extent. But the point isn't to believe in such a theory. In this example, it's to use it to incite a pogrom against the people they dislike.

Same is true for vaccines (evil atheists wants to implant chip on people), NWO (evil Jews want to rule over people), rigged elections (X political group must pay for cheating) etc.

People believe in conspiracy theories because someone else has convinced them to hate on a particular group (gaslighting). Sometimes they do so because they are religious fundamentalists or because they are grown up to believe certain groups of people are evil.